Tidings of Trouble
by N. Kage
Summary: This the first part of a book I'm writing. A band of thieves enounters something evil and old while breaking into a castle
1. Chapter 1

Tidings of Trouble

Muscles burning from strain, Jordesh the Red prided the stone up and slide it over, exposing the hole into the tomb. The thief had found a manuscript that told that the Priest, entombed over ten centuries ago, had been buried with a relic he was interested in, the Axe of Meandos. Meandos had been a liche of terrible and dark power, who had reigned over a kingdom of the dead. He had slain thousands of people, only to resurrect them, and expand his kingdom with the bodies of innocents. Like a dark, pulsing cancer, the kingdom of Meandos pushed its borders further and further, until the entire world was almost slain. A warrior, whose name has been lost to time, snuck through Meandos's Palace of Corpses, and fought his way through hundreds of skeletons, zombies and ghouls, and slew Meandos with a magic axe, that, according to legend, stole Meandos's soul from his rotting, corpse body and imprisoned it forever, within the sapphire at the bottom of the axes haft. According to a legend, of course, a legend from thousands of years in the past. Even if the legend was half true, the axe would be worth a kingdom of his own.

Taking a piton from his pack, he stuck it in the thick, black ground around the hole. He carefully tied a silk rope through the hole in the piton and dropped the coil into the darkness of tomb. The rope was over one hundred feet long, and Jordesh thought almost every last foot wound out before he heard it hit the floor with a dim, slap sound. Then, he took a sunrod from his belt, smacked the golden tip on a rock to light the thing, and dropped it into the hole. The ball of light, centered on the sunrod, fell through the darkness of the tomb, to land with a crack near the end of the rope. What the sunrod illuminated was incredible.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of bones littered the ground, in a grotesque carpet of white. He could not be sure, but he thought he could see hundreds of rats crawling around the bones, in and out of skulls, sleeping in pelvic bones, chewing on femurs and arm bones. It was a terrible sight. Thousands of men had died here, for reasons he did not know, or care about. What he cared about was a gleam in the distance, the faint light of the sunrod reflecting off of some metal surface.

Joints creaking in his shoulders, Jordesh swung himself onto the ropes and began climbing down, into the field of bones below. After only twenty feet, his hands were burning and his arms ached. I'm getting to old for this, the thief thought. I must be at least fifty, he complained inside his head as he climbed. I should be sitting in front of a fire, my grandchildren circled around me, begging for one more story before bed. The square of light receded slowly, the thief descending hand over hand. A mad flutter of wings distracted him for a moment. His movement had awoken a flock of bats, the swarm flying past him, buffeting his leather armored body with their wings. One of the bats bit into his left hand, and he almost lost his grip throwing the thing off. The flock of bats flew off into the distance, and Jordesh resumed his climb.

He glanced down quickly, and saw he was about fifteen feet from the ground. He climbed down about ten more feet, and jumped the last distance, his hob-nailed boots striking the ground with the snapping of ancient bones and the squealing of rats. He flipped his rapier out and drew another sunrod from his belt and lit it with a crack. Down here, the stench of death and decay was a physical thing, and even though Jordesh had killed his share of people, it was still shocking at how powerful the smell was.

Kicking a rat off of his boot, he set off, towards the glint of light in the distance. Before he went a dozen paces, he was amazed at how large the tomb was. He could barely see the gargantuan walls in the distance, and the field of bones went on and on, like a cruel tribute to the long-dead Priest. He realized that the bones were not just human, but of other, fouler races, like orks, goblins, and other races. Here and there, the huge skull of a giant loomed and half rusted weapons and armor could be seen under some of the bones.

The glint in the distance was getting closer, but he could still not make out what it was. He had gone quite a distance, and probably would have gotten hopelessly lost down there, but he could see the glow of his first sunrod. A growl from his left caused him to spin, drop his sunrod and draw his hand-axe.

Another growl, closer this time, and the sound of sniffing. Jordesh was ready for whatever it was, his rapier had been enchanted by the wizard Ilith to burst into flames with every blow he struck, and his hand-axe drank hungrily from those wounded by it. Shambling from the beyond the sunrods sphere of light, came a group of ghouls, their faces drawn and hungry for the flesh of mortals. Ghouls were rumored to have once been men and women who tasted the flesh of the living, others believe anyone evil and practiced debauchery risked becoming a ghoul.

Snarling, Jordesh braced himself for their attack, mentally flipping through the few divine spells he had learned over the long years. He didn't have much, just stuff that made him quieter, or heal a light wound, nothing that would stop half a dozen ghouls! He was not worried about fighting the ghouls, but rather of paralysis their touch brought, or they fact they would start feeding before he was dead.

The ghouls were quite close, and their stench smacked into him like a fist, but he had fought ghouls before and was used to the smell of death that surrounded every one of the undead bastards.

Jordesh stabbed the first ghoul with his rapier and the ghoul howled as the blade burst into flame. The ghoul slumped back and the rapier slid out of its cauterized flesh. The smell of burned meat was in the air now. Spinning, he slashed his axe across the neck of the next ghoul, its thin and grey head falling to one side, to land with a thud on the ground. Another ghoul leapt at him, mouth wide and fangs gleaming wickedly. Bracing himself, Jordesh stabbed his rapier through the ghoul's mouth, down its gullet. The sword burst into flame inside the ghoul and the dead weight of the undead thing wrenched his rapier out of his hand. The last three ghouls attacked as one, bearing Jordesh down with their combined weight. With the snapping of dead bones, Jordesh hit the ground, the ghoul's rancid breath making him gasp for air. He couldn't swing axe, but he managed to draw a dapper from belt. He could feel the ghouls trying to bite him through his armor, but the magical leather stopped their attacks, for now. He stabbed the blade through the back of the first one a dozen times, the ghoul's brackish blood flowing on his stomach. He smashed his helmeted head on the other ghoul's nose, causing the undead creature to draw back and claw at his chest. He could swing his axe and slashed the third ghoul across the chest, while stabbing the last ghoul through the throat with his dagger.

Picking himself up, he wiped the ghoul's blood on his dagger off with a rag and tucked the weapon back into his belt. Bending over, he tried to pull his rapier out of the ghoul, but the blade was stuck fast. Gritting his teeth with the strain, he twisted the hilt and broke the suction. With a wet sound, the blade came in a welter of blood and bile. He had to dance aside to avoid spray.

He found his sunrod and continued on, more careful of his surroundings now. He fell forward suddenly; he found a set of steps. Shaking his head, Jordesh went up the short flight of steps, towards the glint. He could see that the light was coming out of a doorway, set into the wall of the tomb. He put his back against the wall and checked the inside of the room with a small mirror.

It was a long, narrow room, in the center stood a large sarcophagus, decorated with arcane symbols and decorations. The glint was coming from an average sized axe, stuck into the top of the sarcophagus, a precious stone set on the bottom of the hilt. All around the room, murals were carved, depicting something he could not make out with the mirror. Satisfied there was nothing in there that would attack him, he stepped through the doorway.

The murals on the walls depicted horrible scenes, of men being tortured and mutilated, of piles of dead, of an army of the undead, marching to war, of a city built from corpses, of a faceless liche that sat on a throne of skulls at the center of it, and a warrior, tall and muscular, armed with what looked like the very same axe struck into the sarcophagus, slaying the liche. Jordesh smiled to himself, this was the axe of Meandos, then. Grinning now, Jordesh stepped up on top of the sarcophagus and wrenched the axe free, marveling how sharp the blade still was. He jumped off the sarcophagus and glanced at the stone on the hilt. It was good sized stone, and a face jumped into focus on one of the faces of the stone, and then, jumped out of focus just as suddenly. Agony suddenly coursed through his body and spasms wracked him as he fell to the floor. Pain like he had never felt before gripped him and his back arched against the cold, stone floor.

Slowly, the body ceased to move, and the tomb was silent once again. He stood up and examined his face in the shiny blade of the axe. He had changed, once his face had been gaunt and skeletal, a shining example of lichedom, now, he had a tanned and strong face, with graying hair. Meandos smiled, reveling sharp, pointed teeth, this was not the first time he had a new body and, now, with a new body, he could rebuild his kingdom and a new reign of death would begin!

Finding something terrible

Kiph sunk a piton in between the stone blocks and loped his long climbing rope through the eye-hole. He threw the rope back over the ledge so his companions could climb up. They were breaking into Duke Hanggenburgs castle, to steal his vast store of gold and weapons and, maybe, kill the Duke. Whatever, who knows what mood would strike them. The first of his group hauled his chain-mailed body upon the ledge that Kiph was sitting on, his legs dangling over the edge. The warrior slumped over, his breathing stressed. Kasmar was his name, fighting his trade. He rolled over and sat next to Kiph.

"You skinny bastard, why did you pick the highest ledge to have us climb up to?" Kasmar managed to say between breaths, his long-sword scraping loudly on the stone as he spoke.

"Oh, just to piss you off,' Kiph retorted, 'and, maybe that none of the windows up here have bars on them, you stupid whore." Even with the smelly asshole sitting next to him, he enjoyed the view that the ledge afforded him. He could see for miles, the rolling, green countryside, the majestic mountains in the distance, and the vast, shimmering, Ashanti Sea. Closer, he could see almost every street of the city of Culden, the capital of Duke Hanggenburgs realm. Smiling to himself, he wondered if anyone down there could see them, it was a fanciful idea. They were on a large hill, surrounded by two hundred square acres of immaculately trimmed grass and shrubbery. Dozens of guards patrolled every acre, of every minute, of every day. It was a bitch to sneak through, especially with Kasmar cursing every minute. Seeing the sheer amount of grass, he thought of why they were there.

Duke Hanggenburg had been raising taxes to insane levels recently, and there were rumors of dark things going on in the castle, but Kiph didn't care about that, he cared about the sheer amount of money in there. That's why he had stolen several bags of holding from the local Wizards Guild. It would be a good haul.

The next member of the party threw herself onto the ledge, her scale-mailed breasts rising and falling with each breath. She was Jexi, a cleric of Olidammara, the god of rogues. Kiph had a thing for her, but she didn't know, or notice, Kiph didn't know. He had to draw his gaze from her graciously curved ass to look into her eyes and nod at her. She returned his nod with a tilt of her head.

"Crap, I didn't think we'd be climbing this high just to get in!" she exclaimed, her voice melodic and sensual at the same time. He shook his head to clear his thoughts; he couldn't let her interfere with the theft, no matter how attracted he was to her.

"No bars up here." Kasmar said gruffly, while kicking his feet in the open air. What a dumb-ass, Kiph thought, if we didn't need the muscle, he wouldn't be here.

"Right, right, but where are the damn windows?" Jexi responded, resting her helmed head on the wall.

"Look about ten feet above your head." Kiph called across to her, while pointing at the thick glass pane.

The last member of their bunch flopped onto the stone ledge, his breathing ragged and shallow.

"Took yah long enough, Kar." Kiph said harshly. The wizard was always getting on his nerves with his constant complaining.

"That is because I am a learned man, not some smart-ass thief. And do you think you chose a high enough spot? Wouldn't it have been easier to climb onto the roof?" Kar jived back, sitting next to Jexi, cradling his spell book in his shaking hands, his spear tied to his leg and still dangling off the ledge.

"Alright then, lets get this show on the road." Spoke Kiph, while jumping over Kasmar and Kar. Jexi stood and laced her hand to together for Kiph to stand on. The lanky thief placed his foot in her hands and stood on them, he could just barely reach the window. He took a glass-cutter from his tools and cut a hole in the window and reached his hand in, and felt around until he found the latch. He flipped the latch and pushed the window open. He pressed his other boot against the stone and used his hands to pull himself in. He landed awkwardly, head first, and slide a few feet on a carpet. Gritting his teeth, Kiph went back to the window and pulled in Jexi, but fell backwards from the weigh of her armor and she landed on him, their faces inches apart. She smiled.

"I'd like to get back like this when this job is done." She said in his ear, biting the lobe before standing back up and reaching through the window to help Kar through. Kiph quickly stood and tried to look nonchalant as he looked around room, but he just kept thinking, wow, she felt so good lying on top of him. Again, he chastised himself, he couldn't let his physical needs get in the way of the job, it was not professional. It was just a bedroom, with a four-poster bed in it, and tapestries decorating the wall. There was a small, jewelry box on a dresser in one corner.

Smiling, he crossed the room and tried to open the box. It was locked. He pulled a pick from the kit strapped to the inside of his arm and set to work on the lock. He heard Jexi pull Kasmar through the window. Closing his eyes, he listened to the pick in the lock, lining up the tumblers. With a click, the lock popped open, and he flipped open the box. There were some gold necklaces and rings and he stuffed everything he thought was worth something into one of the bags of holding.

"Lets get started then." He said, turning to face the others, who voiced their agreement.

Standing in front of the door, Kiph pulled out a throwing knife from his belt and slowly turned the handle until he felt the bolt open. Softly, he opened the door a crack and peered through. He could see two guardsmen standing, talking to each other. One had his back to Kiph and he couldn't see the others face, meaning the guard could not see him. He braced the door with his foot and pulled out another throwing knife. He pushed the door open, but the hinges creaked. Snarling as the guards turned towards the sound, he threw his knives, the perfectly thrown blades punching through each of the guard's sternums. With a pair of thumps and the jingling of armor, the guards fell to the floor. He drew a kukri and stepped out, scanning the other side of the hallway for guards. Nothing, just doors and turns in the corridor. He crossed quickly to the guards bodies and pulled his knives out, wiping them off on the guards. Kasmar was at his side, searching the bodies for anything. At first, nothing, then, Kasmar cut open one of the guard's pockets and pulled out a large key ring, laden with keys.

"Come on, we gotta get going.' Jexi hissed, she had a map of the castle out, Kiph had to kill a man to get it, but it was worth it. 'The map shows a storeroom two lefts and right from here, third door down. Got it, Kiph?" she said, smiling to him. His heart fluttered, but he tried to focus again.

Kiph set off first, checking around the first left with his pocket mirror. Damn it, he thought while sliding away from the corner. A troupe of six guards was patrolling down the hall, a man in flowing black robes at the fore, a claw-tipped staff clicking along as he walked.

Signing to the others what was coming down the hall, they slide into position for an ambush. Jexi stood in front of Kiph; she was closest to the side corridor. Next to Jexi stood Kasmar, his long-sword and heavy shield out. Beside Kiph stood Kar, his eyes glazed and hands whirling as he cast a shield spell over the four of them.

The wizard saw them first, his mouth opened in surprise and his eyes wide with fury. Kasmar swung his sword in a brutal arc, cutting through wizards head and right shoulder. Blood fountained from the wound and the wizard fell in a pool of gore. The two guards behind the wizard charged at Kasmar, since he was the only one they could see. Jexi took out the first one with a crashing blow from her mace, shattering the guards jaw and nose. He fell backwards, blood gushing from his face. The other guard swung an axe in a sideways blow that Kasmar took on his shield and Kasmar stabbed towards the guard's stomach with his sword, but the guard turned away the stab with a buckler. Kiph flipped out his other kukri and swung the heavy blades in a scissoring motion that took the guard's head off.

The next locked their shields to protect the two behind, who were drawing bows. That would end the job as fast as it started. Kar stepped out, his hands and voice forming the last parts of a spell. With a roar, the fire-ball streaked alarmingly close to Kiph and Kasmar and struck the guards in a burst of flame. The first two were killed instantly, their flesh boiled inside their armor. The last two just caught on fire, screaming pitifully until Jexi pulled out her crossbow and put bolts into the guards, ending their lives.

"Lets bloody move!" yelled Kasmar, his voice frantic. Storming down the hall, they took another left, running smack into two more guards. Kiph took the first down, stabbing his kukris into the guard's stomach. Kasmar cut down the second with one stroke of his sword. They took the right and counted down three doors.

The door was locked shut, with three large padlocks and a grim warning on the front that Kiph just ignored. He pulled another pick out, this one was special. A wizard had enchanted it and Kiph had never failed to open a lock with it. The first lock was easy, it was old and the tumblers lined up like toy soldiers. The next was harder, the tumblers were different sizes, and Kiph had to pull out a second, then a third pick, to open the lock. With a click, the lock snapped open. The third was harder. It was magically enchanted, and the tumblers kept changing as he tried to line them up. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he got the tumblers lined up before they could change. The lock opened with what seemed like reluctance. Kar grabbed his shoulder and hissed angrily at him, "Did you forget these?" The wizard jangled the keys in front of the thief's face.

Kiph shrugged sheepishly, "What can I say? I like picking locks." He pushed the wizard away and carefully checked the door for traps, but the wizard pushed him away again.

"I've got spells that take care of that." The wizard cast another spell and the wave of magic illuminated a trip-wire on the other side of the door.

"What spell do you have to disarm the trap, fucker?" Kiph snarled back, shoving the wizard out of the way. He drew a thin knife and a pair of tweezers from his kit and opened the door a crack, just enough to see the wire. He used the tweezers to hold the wire tight while he carefully cut it. The tweezers kept the wire from snapping back and setting off trap. Carefully again, he slowly relaxed the wire. Sighing in relief, he opened the door.

The storeroom lit up in his eyes like a fire. A golden fire. Shelves upon shelves had ornate weapons and armor, gold lay in drifts around the corners like dust. In the center of the room, was a chest, about the size of a coffin. He ignored the chest and handed the bags of holding out, grins all around, except for Kasmar, who backed into the room, his shield up, deflecting an arrow.

"They're coming!" He shouted as he slammed the door shut, just as a dozen more arrows thunked into the heavy wood. The big man grabbed the chest, and groaned as he tried to push in front of the door. Jexi also tried to push, her face red with the effort, but the chest refused to budge. Snarling, Kiph added his back to the task, and the three of them just barely managed to push the heavy chest in front of the door. The chest left deep marks in the stone.

With a thud, something from outside slammed into the door, then loud cursing. Kasmar sat on the chest and leaned his back against the door. Nothing would get in.

"Damn it!" snapped Kar, his teeth gritted and his eyes angry.

"What is it, you whiny bastard?" snapped Kiph

"Look at the damned window, you fucker!" the wizard retorted, his face red.

The window was tiny, even Kiph couldn't fit through, and bared. They were stuck there.

"We'll deal with that later. Just load up the bags!" yelled Kiph as another blow shook the door. Kiph got started, shoving a hand-full of gold into his bag with a jingling and clinking sound. He loved that sound. He shoved another, and another, until Jexi said something.

"Check this out.' In her hands she had a massive, two-handed war hammer, inlaid with runes and fairly glowing with magical energy. 'Kasmar, think you could bust a hole in the wall with this?"

"Hells yeah." The warrior sheathed his sword and slung his shield and took the war hammer from Jexi. He weighed it for a moment and then jumped back. The chest had been pushed partially open from the inside, a rotted hand peeking through.

"Fuck!" screamed Kar, as he stabbed his spear repeatedly into the chest.


	2. Chapter 2

The rotten hand drew back and the chest slammed shut.

"What the hell was that?" Kar cursed again, his spear shaking.

The chest slammed open again and the stench of decay filled the room. It was a lich, wrapped in rotting leather clothes, a pissed off look on his face.

"You thieving wretches! Just as I'm about to take over the kingdom, some bloody hero barges in and tries to stop me!' The lich's voice was harsh and throaty; he spoke with an accent that Kiph had never heard before. 'I'll just have to kill and add you to my army to keep you from spreading a warning…" The lich hissed, his hands making an arcane gesture, a magic missile shooting towards Kiph. His own enchanted armor took the missile well, but he was still blasted into the wall, he could feel at least four of his ribs break.

Kasmar swung the hammer in a brutal arc, smashing the lich aside in a shower of mold and dust. The gaunt, skeletal lich smashed into another wall, Kiph could hear bones breaking. The lich stood back up, one arm snapped back at the elbow. The lich growled ferally, and cast another spell, sprinkling an egg shell while wearing a glove of snakeskin. It was a spell that Kar did not know. A ghostly, giant hand gripped Kar in a vice-like grip, crushing him in its grasp. He screamed as his arm broke. Kiph stood up, his broken ribs aching and threw three knives as the lich. Every knife punched home into the lich's chest and stomach. The spell-casting lich lost his concentration and the fist disappeared with a wisp of smoke. Kar fell, cradling his arm. Kasmar snarled and swung the magical hammer at the wall. With a crack, the hammer crushed some of the stone around the window. He swung again, frantic now that the lich was getting up again, three knives sticking out of his chest.

Jexi stood over Kar and brandished her holy symbol, a leering, two faced mask and called out, "Undead creature! I command thee to leave!" her voice was harsh and unnatural lightening flashed in the sky but the lich just reeled. Kasmar swung his hammer again and again, the stone shattering and the window bars punched out, falling to the ground from two hundred feet up. Kiph frantically patted himself down, trying to find a rope, but the bloody rope was still on the other ledge!  
"I don't have a damned rope!" he shouted to the others, his voice frantic, he did not want the lich to kill him.

"You scrawny bastard!" shouted Kasmar as he spun and stood next to Jexi, his new hammer at the ready.

"All of you, jump out with me!' shouted Kar as he picked himself up, 'I know a spell that'll make us fall slower!"

Kasmar snarled at the wizard as he smashed the lich with his hammer. Again, the sound of bones breaking could be heard, but the red fire still burned in the lich's eye-sockets. The door slammed in again, and the smell of burning wood entered the room. Either the lich would kill them, or the guards. "Why should we trust you?" he yelled.

"You're gonna die anyway, you buffoon!" retorted the wizard, pain etched on his face.

"I'll go!" shouted Kiph as he threw another knife at the lich.

"I'm in!" added Jexi, while she supported the wizard's weight.

"Fine, let's go!" shouted the fighter as he dived out the hole, pushing the other three with him. Kiph screamed as his broken ribs ground together. The wizard was shouting something and Jexi started to fall slower. Then, Kiph, who felt a strange, floating sensation as the spell hit him. Then, Kasmar and finally Kar. The foursome slowly floated down, almost two hundred feet. Kiph looked up, and saw strange, bale-fires eminating from the store room they were in.

Kiph and Jexi landed lightly on their feet, while Kar and Kasmar landed roughly on their asses. Kar again shouted, "Gather around me!" the wizard's hands formed another gesture while dropping an eyelash, covered in some substance. A hazy sphere formed around the four, an invisibility sphere, thought Kiph, on a different job he had been with a wizard who used it.

"Everyone stay within ten feet of me and we will all get out of here just fine." The wizard hissed.

Two hours later, at their bolt-hole in the Foaming Mug inn, a tavern of some ill-repute, the four discussed what happened, and more importantly, what to do with the loot. The low table in the middle of the room was bent inwards from the weigh of the stuff.

"Alright, so, since Kasmar took that hammer, he isn't in the first round." Kiph said, it was standard procedure, after all.

"Fine, fine." Kasmar grunted, the war-hammer propped on his shoulder.

"Okay, then. Let's start with the gold." Kiph continued, his deft hands dividing the stack of coins neatly into three piles. Eagerly, he leaned forward to snag his stack when Kar grabbed his wrist.

"What about the take from those jewels?" the wizard hissed, his eyes squinting at the thief.

"Oh, my goodness,' Kiph exclaimed with mock seriousness, 'I forgot all about that." The thief reached inside a pocket and pulled out a small sack of silver coins and added those to the stacks.

As Jexi leaned in to grab her pile, the cleric winked at Kiph, a slight smile on her face. Kiph's heart beat faster and he winked back. The cleric sat back and removed her bag of holding from her belt and shook it out onto the table, numerous weapons and trinkets falling out to spill across the small table.

Kar spread his hands out and incanted a spell, one that revealed magical auras and effects to him. In his eyes, every weapon on the table fairly glowed with magical energy; some of the trinkets hurt his eyes to look at.

"So, um, pick and choose, everything's magical or enchanted, so just be fair." The wizard spoke as he picked up two rings, one was for sure a ring of water walking, the other, he thought to be a ring of wizardry, but he wasn't sure. Whatever.

Kiph grabbed an ornate saber and a supple pair of gloves. He strapped the saber to his back and slid the gloves on, loving how they made his hands feeling nimble and light.

Jexi reached across the table to grab an amulet and a long rapier, the favored weapon of her god. She strapped the rapier onto her waist and hung the amulet around her neck, marveling how energetic and tough the amulet made her feel.

Kasmar leaned forward and swept a cloak off the table and draped it across his broad shoulders and fastened the clasp. It didn't look like a magic cloak, but it was warm. Then, he grabbed a thick belt and looped it around his waist; it looked unusual and made him like he could lift two hundred more pounds.

Kar was reaching forward again, his eyes set on a brooch, the likes of which he had never seen, when horrible screaming came from the floor below, and the sounds of fierce fighting. Smoke began to creep under the door.

"I think it's time to scag it!" Kiph shouted over the noise of the battle below. The innkeeper burst in, his arm bloody and his clothes smoking, his eyes frantic.

"The dead! The dead are coming…" his voice cut off suddenly and he fell forward, an arrow cut through his back. A skeletal warrior stepped through the smoke, still clad in the armor of the Dukes guards, a bow grasped in its fleshless hands.

Kasmar leapt up and smashed the warrior down with his hammer. "Get the hell out the window!" The warrior shouted, as another bunch of warriors surged up the stairs, to get smashed apart by the tall fighter.

Kar smashed the window with the butt of his spear and leapt out, ropes flying behind him, to land unceremoniously on rump with a thud. Kiph let Jexi jump out next, the two locking eyes for a moment before the cleric jumped out, to land on the wizard, who was just starting to stand up. Kar yelled in pain again, the rapier on the cleric's waist stabbing into his leg.

"Come on, Kasmar! Quit playing hero and run away!" the thin thief shouted as he stabbed a skeleton that had gotten past the fighter.

"Fine!" Kasmar knocked the thief out of his way and took a running leap out the window, followed closely by Kiph. A mass of arrows followed them out, to impact in the building across the street.

No more screams echoed out of the inn, which was a blazing inferno now. Town constables were running down the streets towards the inn, as concerned citizens tried to form bucket brigades to put out the fire. None knew about the skeletons inside. The group tried to look inconspicuous as they strolled down the street, determined to put as much distance between themselves and the inn.

Kar leaned in, his voice a harsh whisper, "Did we get what was left of the loot?"

"No, we didn't, Kar.' Kiph snapped back, 'we were too busy trying to save our own asses after you ran like a coward."

"Yeah, you bastard. You didn't even grab your stuff." Jexi said, while holding up the wizards pack. Kar stretched his arm across Kiph and grabbed the back, a sheepish smile on his face.

Kasmar spun in front of the other three, his hands out to stop them. His voice was set when he spoke, "We're going back into the castle."

All three spoke up at once, sighting numerous reasons why they shouldn't go back into the castle. Kar silenced them with a glare.

"The skeleton that was wearing the Dukes colors is why we're going back in. The lich obviously has taken over the Dukes army and we gotta stop him before he gets too powerful."

Into the eye of the storm

Shaking his head, Kiph climbed down the ladder, into the sewer tunnels that lead to the Dukes castle. In his hand, he had a torch, in the other, the saber they had stolen. With a splash, the thief jumped down into the knee deep water that flowed ever so slowly towards the coast. Behind him, Kasmar and Kar started down the ladder. The big fighter had tied a sunrod to the haft of his hammer and Kar had cast a light spell on himself. Kiph had gotten over his anger at the wizard, but transferred it to the fighter for making them do this. I mean, the lich is a problem, he thought, but someone else's problem. Jexi was last down the ladder; she dragged the cover back over the entrance. The shaft of weak light was cut off abruptly; it had taken almost until dusk to find an entrance. Kiph leaned over and kissed the cleric before setting off ahead of the group to scout.

He doused his torch and drew his favorite kukri, letting his eyes adjust to the gloom before he went too far down the tunnel. He went about thirty feet, and whistled three times, the signal for the others to advance. Kiph kept going, barely lifting his feet to stay quiet. A sloshing, like a group of people coming down the sewer, caused him to stop and slide into a little alcove set into the tunnel, a sunrod grasped instead of his kukri. He was ready for whoever it was. Hopefully the flare of light would cause the others to catch up with him.

The footsteps were closer now, about ten or fifteen feet away. Kiph wouldn't tell who or what was making the noise, but they couldn't be allowed to live. There was no light coming from the group, so Kiph waited until he heard their footsteps before slashing with his rapier. With a scream of pain, the shape fell, clutching at the long gash in his chest. Kiph smacked the sunrod and the tunnel burst into light, momentarily blinding him. Blinking the dancing lights out his eyes, Kiph did not except what he saw. It was a bunch of highwayman or robbers, laden with coins and other objects, obviously looting. The other four robbers reeled from the light and Kiph did not miss his opportunity. He smashed the first one across the face with the hand-guard of his rapier and kicked him in his groin. Moaning, his face a smashed wreck and clutching at his groin, the robber fell in the water, trying not to drown.

While his attention was elsewhere, another of the robbers stabbed at Kiph with a short sword. The thief danced back, hoping his armor would stop the sword. The robber froze suddenly, and then fell forward, a bolt protruding from between his shoulder blades. Glancing down the hall, he saw Jexi lowering her crossbow. Kiph saw Kar was casting a spell, the wizard's gestures and words alerting him. The thief spun back inside the alcove, crouching in a corner, the water up to his neck. With a shriek and stench of burning flesh, the lightening bolt shot down the tunnel, catching every one of the robbers in its electrical embrace.

Flesh tingling from the lightening bolt, Kiph stood up, twitching occasionally, water dripping off his armor. Running up to him, Jexi and Kar patted down the small electrical fires on his clothes.

"Kar, don't use a lightening bolt if I'm in the water!" Kiph snarled at the wizard, his rapier stabbing forward to punctuate his words.


End file.
